BendFilm announces Faith Briggs as winner of $20,000 BIPOC Woman Filmmaker Grant
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- BendFilm, Inc. has announced the winner of its annual $20,000 BIPOC Woman Filmmaker Grant. This annual program created by BendFilm awards a filmmaking grant to a woman of color to promote diversity and inclusion in the film industry.
The 2023 winner is director Faith Briggs for her project ‘Fruit of Soil’: a feature-length documentary that shares the story of two dreamers, Black farmers who are creating a ripple of change in the Black community of Portland, Oregon by growing food, investing in Black farmers and feeding Black people.
Faith Briggs Rose is a documentary director, creative producer and podcast host passionate about sharing contemporary stories that widen the spectrum of representation and help us all see our own possibilities.
Her previous short film work includes Brotherhood of Skiing (REI, 2018), This Land (Merrell, 2019), Camp Yoshi (REI, 2021), Ascend: Reframing Disability in the Outdoors (The North Face, 2021) and the four-part series Who Is A Runner (Brooks, 2021.)
Briggs is the co-host of The Trail Ahead podcast, a 2021 Grist 50! Fixer, a Jackson Wild Media Lab Fellow, a Western Conservation Hub William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Grant Recipient, an If/Then Shorts x Redford Center Nature Access Pitch Awardee and a 2022 Redford Center Grantee. She is a graduate of Yale University, The Hotchkiss School, and The Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University.
Faith is also a member of The Governing Council of The Wilderness Society. Fruit of Soil (working title) is Faith's first feature-length documentary.
This year’s competition featured a total of 264 submissions from filmmakers across the country. A panel of industry experts and filmmakers selected ‘Fruit of Soil’ from six finalists.
BendFilm Program Director Selin Sevinc, who hosted the pitch event on Sunday, said, “The BIPOC Woman Filmmaker grant program is an exciting way to incentivize and support women filmmakers and promote diversity in the industry. Fruit of Soil by Faith Briggs was selected because of its clear community impact on the Portland community, and the way it weaves in history and art as a through-line for the project. We are excited to continue to support women filmmakers in their quest to break through the typically male-dominated industry.”
This project was supported by a grant provided by the Creative Opportunity Program and Oregon Film - OregonFilm.org and the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, A Visit Bend Project.
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About BendFilm:
BendFilm hosts an annual independent film festival, year-round film exhibitions and programs, and is the proud owner of the Tin Pan Theater – a boutique arthouse cinema located in downtown Bend’s Tin Pan Alley. The organization is designed to support and nourish filmmakers and enrich the cultural life of Central Oregon while also providing an economic benefit to the region. Celebrating its 20th year in 2023, BendFilm is proud to bring diverse voices and visions to the Bend community. The Bend Film Festival runs every October in Bend, Oregon, featuring in-person cinema plus filmmaker workshops, panels and more. Bend is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, beer lovers and stunning natural scenery. BendFilm is a 501(c)3 organization whose activities are made possible by a dedicated crew of volunteers and generous donors, members and sponsors. For more information, call (541) 388-3378 or bendfilm.org. Connect with BendFilm on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The 2024 Bend Film Festival will take place October 10-13, 2024.
